The Aftermath
by WhovianAlison
Summary: Profiting from a moment of relaxation on returning to the TARDIS, Peri takes a chance to display one of her lesser known talents, to the amazement of the Doctor.


After the excitement of running around (and getting captured and almost killed) on the planet Kerron, Perpugilliam Brown didn't think she had ever been happier to be back inside the TARDIS. A sentiment which was seemingly shared by the Doctor, who, once he had set the TARDIS drifting in the vortex, had fallen onto his chair and not moved since. Under any other circumstances this would've made Peri worry, but given all that had happened to them recently, she could hardly blame the poor guy for falling asleep. After all, he had just spent the past few days trying to rescue her. Besides, where it not for the fact that every time she closed her eyes she could see her captor's face grinning down at her as if she were a piece of meat (which probably wasn't far from the truth), she too would be sleeping. She repressed a shudder, there was literally no way she could get any sleep right now, unless she wanted to have nightmares. What could she do then? She glanced over at the Doctor again, who showed no sign of waking up anytime soon, and grinned to herself as a flash of inspiration struck.

Quietly she snuck out of the console room, raced down the corridors and into their room, where she grabbed the new drawing pad she had bought at a market place on Lyxora, an Earth colony in the Coral Galaxy, from underneath the bed, before retracing her steps.

Peri slipped back into her chair, checking on the Doctor once again, smiling as she did so. He looked so, well, peaceful would be the best word for it, though several others flitted through her head. She flipped quietly through the pad to a blank page and began to draw, her pencil flying over the paper. Occasionally she would look up at her unsuspecting model then rub something out, blowing her hair out of her face in frustration, looking the picture of concentration. She was so focused on what she was doing, that Peri didn't even notice when, a few hours later, the Doctor started to stir. As he woke up he tensed slightly and looked around with panicked eyes until he found Peri, and once he was sure she was safe, he relaxed, settling for watching her from across the room.

Having noticed what she was doing he smiled, shaking his head fondly, although secretly he felt rather flattered. It was the first time she had drawn him as he currently was, and the ones she had done of his previous selves were rather exceptional, despite all she said.

Carefully, so as not to disturb her, he made his way across the console room to stand behind her chair. The Doctor discreetly peered over Peri's shoulder to get a better look at the newest addition to her collection, looking slightly stunned when he saw it. The drawing was simple enough, it was just him, leaning back in his chair, eyes closed, completely relaxed and yet, somehow his Peri had managed to make it into something incredible.

While he was silently examining, Peri looked up, and blinked rapidly, her forehead wrinkling in confusion as if she couldn't quite understand how her model could just disappear like that. Then she sighed, realising what must've happened.

"Honestly darling" she said, in a complaining voice, which was betrayed by the smile on her face "you couldn't have stayed asleep just two more seconds?" she looked up at, giving him her best fake glare. "I was nearly finished!"

"Oh I am sorry my darling, but I'm afrrraid you shall have to improvise for er…whatever it is you have to finish. Though, it looks to me as if it is alrrready finished.

He was right, of course, it was finished, all she had to do was sign it, but Peri wasn't about to let him know that.

"Well it's not, and besides, even if it was, it's gone all wrong and I've messed up your face completely, it looks awful" she pouted slightly, frustrated, admittedly it was the first time she'd actually drawn him, but still, her other first attempts at the previous Doctor's had turned out much better than this.

Naturally, the Doctor didn't see it that way. He never did.

"Awful?" he sounded incredulous "my darling, it's far from that. If anything it's a wee bit too good. I mean I can't imagine that I look that handsome. Surrrely you've somewhat embellished rrrrreality."

She rolled her eyes "Not even a little bit Doctor, you seriously are extremely handsome, so it's only natural that my drawing looks it too, after all, I do only draw what I see."

He blushed, losing the ability to speak,as she knew he would, it seemed as though the Doctor would never get used to her compliments no matter how many times she gave them to him.

"Er…well…thank you my darling."

Peri grinned, "You are very welcome. But" she began sounding slightly nervous. "Do you really think it's that good?" she bit her lip, looking down shyly.

"Of course it is, it's morrre than good in fact. You, my darling Perrri" he said lovingly leaning down to give her a swift kiss on the forehead "have a gift."

Now it was her turn to blush. Did he really have to be so ridiculously sweet, honestly, she would hardly call what she had a gift.

The Doctor sighed, knowing the direction her thoughts had taken. He wondered if she would ever believe it when he said things like that to her. Then again, he thought, she wouldn't be his Peri if she believed him straight away. So to distract her from those negative thoughts he took the pad out of her hand and laid it on the small table next to the chair and walked to the console grinning. Looking over to her as he flicked some switches he asked enthusiastically, "Rrright then my darling, where would you like to go next?"

As the TARDIS left the vortex all that could be heard was a sigh followed by a loud complaint of "Doctor!"


End file.
